Frequently
Asked
Questions

LeBlanc Dental's physical office location is in Slidell, LA (right off of Hwy 190). While we cater to the members of the Slidell community, we have many patients who drive in from Mississippi or cities like Mandeville, Covington, New Orleans, Metairie, Gulfport, Biloxi, Birmingham, and Mobile, AL for our quality dental services.

After watching patients closely, I can tell you emphatically that at our Slidell dentistry care center, we see basically 2 major patterns with regard to how our patients handle the aging process relative to their teeth.

One group will seek care only when something happens and their future is unpredictable and oftentimes ends with, at best, a lifetime of constant repair and frustration, and for many, the loss of their teeth, in spite of visiting the dentist every 6 months for their lifetime. 

The other group at some point stops, steps back, makes an assessment of where they are (a comprehensive exam), becomes clear on what they want for their mouths in their later years, hears the choices available to get what they want, and systematically moves their oral health to a place that allows them to literally stop their mouths from aging.

All radiation is harmful. It is the amount of radiation we get, the frequency, and the duration that determines how harmful this technology is to us. In dentistry, we weigh the risks versus the benefits to our patients. The newer x-ray units are now digital and have greatly reduced the radiation to our patients. The use of the Cone Beam CT (CBCT) has allowed us to replace the Full Mouth Survey (20 to 24 separate x-rays) with one single exposure. 

Additionally, a CBCT machine produces a 3-dimensional image, which allows much more accurate visualization of the teeth and surrounding structures. We never take x-rays to generate additional fees. We take the least amount of exposures to show what we need to examine, and always have discussions with patients before prescribing their use.

While we are not “in-network” with any plans, we do file claims with your insurance company to help you get the most from your annual benefits. We require payment in full at the time services are rendered, and then work with your insurance company to help them reimburse you directly. The front office staff can share with you the intricacies as to how we handle insurance claims and benefits. We belong to no plans. 

Our obligation is to our patients and no one or entity will dictate to us what we recommend to our patients. Aside from the New Patient Experience (comprehensive exam), most of the time we are able to send a “pre-determination” request to your insurance company to assess what portion of the proposed treatment they will cover so that you know what your overall out-of-pocket cost will be.

This is a question we have been getting a lot lately, and the reality is there is no one simple answer. Making a blanket statement that “all root canals are bad”, or on the opposite side of the spectrum, being completely dismissive of the concerns one might have about health effects of root canals, is a real disservice to those who are trying to make good decisions that are consistent with their own personal health goals and values.

Our goal is to educate you about the risks and benefits of every option and allow you to make the treatment decision. The truth is that the answer to the root canal question is complex, and specific to the patient. If we were to adopt the belief that “all root canals are bad”, and that we should remove all teeth with root canals, what happens to the person who has 4 or more root canals? And then when we remove those root canal teeth, we are then faced with more difficult decisions... do we leave spaces in the mouth and allow the bite to shift over time? Do we replace with implants (which carry their own risk)? Do we cut down the teeth adjacent to the missing teeth for the fabrication of a bridge? Removable partial denture? What are the financial implications of each? How many visits? Can the patient tolerate long appointments for any of these appointments? Will fear and anxiety be a major factor?

Each decision bears its own unique risk/benefit analysis, which is revealed through clinical examination and imaging. Our state-of-the-art Ultra-Low Dose Cone Beam CT (CBCT) machine captures a detailed 3-D image of the teeth and their surrounding structures, so that detection of root canal infections is greatly increased.

Yes, I am a TMJ dentist that has studied the chewing system and its effect on the quality of patients’ lives. I am amazed at how many different ways this malady can manifest itself among my patients. There is a particular place that the jaw joints should be, and when the muscles cannot position the joints in that place (because the teeth don’t fit that jaw position), a myriad of symptoms can ensue…headaches, neck aches, ringing of the ears, popping noises in front of the ears, loss of hearing, vertigo (loss of balance), severe wear of the teeth, erosions at the necks of the teeth, splitting of teeth, loosening of teeth, large bony growths around the teeth, and many more.

As a TMJ dentist, I have found that the key is a clear diagnosis of what is going on within the chewing system and what seems to be the cause of the disharmony.

Yes. We are both mercury-free and mercury-safe. Mercury-free means we do not place mercury (amalgam) fillings. Mercury-safe means we follow a set protocol for removing old mercury fillings, based on the recommendations of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT).

We take several steps to limit exposure to mercury vapor and particles for both you and our team. You are given an alternate source of oxygen, and a non-latex rubber dam isolates the teeth being treated. Water constantly bathes the filling as it is removed in sections. We use high-powered suction, a handpiece that vents air away from you, and a charcoal-filtered unit that draws fresh air across your face. A special trap catches the old filling material, which is then picked up and disposed of by a certified company.

We do not make claims or offer guarantees about health improvements after mercury fillings are removed. What we can promise is that we will do our best to remove the mercury safely, and that once it is gone, your mouth will no longer add to your body’s mercury burden.

We do not recommend supplements unless there is evidence that you need them. The only way to understand the mercury burden in your body is through a careful study of comprehensive blood chemistry. Taking supplements at random, without that evidence, may be dangerous. We rely on our removal protocol to protect you during the procedure.

Our New Patient Experience is made up of two appointments. The first starts away from the dental chair with a conversation about your concerns, past experiences, and goals, followed by a thorough exam with photographs and X-rays when needed. Dr. LeBlanc then reviews everything outside of office hours and prepares a custom Review of Findings. At the second appointment, he walks you through your current state, your options, and the time and cost of each, so you can decide what is right for you.

In many cases, we can restore a tooth without cutting it down for a crown. We use a technique called Maximized Adhesive Dentistry (MAD), which bonds a biocompatible, BPA-free composite to the tooth after old fillings and decay are removed and the tooth is disinfected. This preserves healthy tooth structure. It costs more than a mercury filling but typically half to two-thirds the cost of a buildup and crown.

A biological dentist uses natural, non-toxic, biocompatible materials and pays close attention to how oral health affects the rest of the body. Rather than only treating a symptom, Dr. LeBlanc, Jr. looks for the underlying cause to lower the chance it comes back. Our biological services include digital X-rays, mercury-free restorations, fluoride-free procedures, oral DNA testing, and guidance on diet and lifestyle habits.

Oral bacterial DNA testing samples the bacteria in your mouth to identify harmful strains linked to gum and bone (periodontal) disease. Traditional diagnosis depends on exams, X-rays, and charting over time, so years can pass before changes show up. DNA testing can help us spot problems before chronic disease takes hold, and re-testing every one to three years helps confirm your mouth is staying healthy.

Treatment depends on your test results, but it often combines several steps: changes to diet, improved home hygiene, scaling and root planing (deep cleaning), at-home ozone rinses, and oral probiotics. We then re-test to see how you are responding. Because gum disease is chronic, success depends on a long-term commitment from both you and our team.

Contact our Slidell office to schedule your first appointment, and fill out our New Patient Form ahead of time to get started. We see patients from Slidell as well as across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.